The invention relates generally to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to a right angle power connector.
In some electrical applications, computers being one example, circuit components such as daughter boards are connected to other circuit boards called backplanes, to which other circuit boards or electrical devices can connected. Often, these components are oriented with respect to each other such that a right angle connection is desired. Though many right angle connectors are in use, obstacles exist with using right angle connectors, particularly power connectors. In a straight connector, a number of current paths across the connector are typically all the same length, so that there is a uniform current path across the connector. In a right angle connector, however, some current paths are typically longer than others.
Typical right angle power connectors have a single copper path that is as large as possible to lower resistance. Whether the connector has a single contact or multiple discrete contacts, current flow will take the path of least resistance, which is usually the shortest path. At the backplane interface, one or more power planes beyond the backplane contact are provided that are as large as possible to handle the current load.
The low resistance flow path on the right angle connector will draw more current flow than other flow paths. This increased current flow leads to more heat being produced in the contacts of the low resistance path, both in the power connector and the interfacing connector that is receiving the current. The heat can potentially build to a point where the interface connection deteriorates, or in a worse case scenario, a catastrophic failure occurs in the interface contacts.
In one embodiment of the invention, an electrical connector is provided that includes a housing and at least one electrical wafer that is receivable in the housing. The wafer has a first edge and a second edge that intersect each other and an array of conductive paths between the first and second edges. Each conductive path has a resistance between the first and second edges that is substantially equal.
Optionally, the electrical wafer is a right angle printed circuit board wafer. The housing includes a base portion and a cover portion and the base portion includes at least one slot to receive the wafer. The cover portion includes a plurality of apertures configured to receive and stabilize the wafer.
In another embodiment of the invention, an electrical connector is provided that includes a housing and a plurality of electrical wafers receivable into the housing. Each wafer has a first edge and a second edge that intersect each other and a plurality of conductive paths between the first and second edges. The conductive paths configured such that current flow through the connector is substantially balanced over the plurality of conductive paths.
The invention also provides an electrical wafer for a connector. The wafer has a first edge and a second edge that intersect each other. The first and second edges include an array of contact pads with conductive paths between pairs of the first and second edge contact pads. Each conductive path has a resistance between respective first and second edge contact pads that is substantially equal.